351
Reviews of Books "Great are the blessings of equality,
in a position to supplement his chapter
but what follies are committed in its name!”
on the federal courts with some remarks
He is led, also, to declare the tone
on the new dignity to which the Chief Justiceship has been raised by the pres
of public life “lower than one expects to find it in so great a nation." It is notably lacking in refinement. There is a lack of that respect for the dignity of office which tends to elevate public life.
ent incumbent. That the custom of choosing a jurist of high distinction
There is, moreover, some disgust on
on the workings of our governmental
the part of the luxurious and fastidious with the vulgarities of public life. Not only the elevation but the independence
machinery is not to be denied. It is interesting to note that Mr.
and courage of public men have been affected, "and the country has sufiered from the want of what we call distinc
prospects of young lawyers.
tion in its conspicuous figures."
But
for Chief Justice, if there is any reason to hope for its becoming firmly estab lished, would have far-reaching effects
Bryce takes a hopeful view of the crowding of
the
The over
profession,
though
admitted, is not grave in comparison with more serious conditions in England.
there are signs, he says, that this is
Here, "according to the universal wit
becoming less true than it was twenty
ness of laymen and lawyers, no man who combines fair talents with reasonable industry fails to earn a competence, and to have, within the first six or seven years of his career, an oppor tunity of showing whether he has in him
two years ago.
At the same time, Mr. Bryce considers
the "general tone of vulgarity" of public life an insignificant factor in deterring men of ability from entering politics. The necessity of forming disagreeable associations, and the certainty of mis
representation and abuse, are no greater than in old world countries, where “a politician has to associate with men
whom he despises and distrusts." A fact, however, which he perhaps neglects to bring out, is that the artificial selection of public officials in a country which does not show due respect for superior talent necessarily interferes with the bestowal of
public distinction on
the
fittest,
and to this extent the vulgarity of politics is responsible for the deterrence of able men from going into lic affairs. Nevertheless, in
pub later
years, "good citizens are beginning to put their hands to the machinery of government, and those who do so are, more largely than formerly, young
the makings of something great." The new material of the revised edi tion is embodied sometimes in the text and sometimes in footnotes, and there
are four new chapters, on our trans marine possessions, immigration, later developments in the negro problem, and later observations on the universi
ties.
During the past fifteen or twenty
years the universities "have become popular and national in a sense never
attained before in any country.” Mr. Seth Low has also rewritten his chapter on municipal government. COMMISSION GOVERNMENT City Government by Commission. By Ford H. MacGregor. Instructor in Political Science in the University of Wisconsin. Bulletin of the University of Wisconsin, no. 423. Pp. 131+19 (bibliography). Pamphlet. (40 cts.)
)1
H1611 .
Had this new edition been prepared a year later, its author might have been
UCH information regarding com mission government in the United States is presented in this brochure,
